Melt-Freeze Conditions on Rose Knob Peak

Location Name: 
Rose Knob Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 02/23/2014 - 13:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 18.2472" N, 119° 57' 22.698" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Obvious avalanche path
Terrain Trap
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

2-10 cm of soft corn snow existed above supportable and still frozen melt-freeze snow on the SE-S-SW aspects of Rose Knob Peak up to the summit at 9650 ft. today. As of 2:30 pm no signs of wet loose instabilities existed in this area even on the most sun-exposed and lower elevation slopes. Snow on the E facing aspects above 8500 ft. had not quite transitioned to corn snow and remained wet and sticky in some places.

On the northerly aspects above 8500 ft, the surface snow is still cold and unconsolidated in sheltered areas. In exposed areas on these aspects it is a mix of hard wind slabs, wind scoured surfaces, and wind affected surfaces. Results from tests on the hard wind slabs on the N-NE aspects did not reveal any lingering signs of instability (ECTX, PST 99/100 @ the base of the wind slab). Other observations and data concerning these wind slabs also showed them to be well bonded to the snow below them.

Snowpit: A NE facing wind loaded test slope @ 39.284911, -119.958267.

Photo: 4 cm of soft corn snow on a S aspect @ 8880 ft. @ 2:30 pm.   

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
25% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: